Palm Sunday

Many Christians celebrate the Sunday before Easter as Palm Sunday. Some perform traditional rituals marking this day when Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph on a lowly donkey.

Prophecy and fulfillment

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

John 12:12  On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
John 12:13  Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
John 12:14  And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
John 12:15  Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
John 12:16  These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
John 12:17  The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.
John 12:18  For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
John 12:19  The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

The jealous Pharisees were not impressed with this outcry of support for Jesus, their Messiah. Satan works in hearts to oppose the glory of God. No one fears meek and mild Jesus and his message of love. The world mocks him, the religious leaders crucified him. The devil fears him and works in hearts and minds to block him and his message of redemption.

He is coming again, not to die on a cross, not to be spit on and whipped, but he is coming as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords with a rod of iron in his hands on a majestic white horse. Every knee will bow to him and satan will be cast into a bottomless pit for a thousand years. The good days are ahead for those who trust in Jesus. You haven't seen anything yet. Look ahead and stand fast on his word and promises. Proclaim his name and cause the devil to tremble.

Who will they believe?

What do you believe about Jesus? Most people see the Jesus that other's show to them, in movies, in entertainment, or by witnesses. Few read the Bible to see who he is. In this account the people saw Jesus as a conquering king from the house of David, coming on a kingly colt. They yelled Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna, one who gives favor and healing, Hosanna capitalized, a name given to Jesus, the propitious, favor giving one. Some expected Jesus to save them from the Roman rulers and to establish his kingdom at that time.

Mar 11:7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
Mar 11:8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
Mar 11:9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
Mar 11:10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

In Matthew's gospel, some thought Jesus was a prophet.

Mat 21:11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

What the people saw was a a prophet and a king and someone highly favored or anointed. These are all true and Jesus is much more than that. He is the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes our sins away, if we believe in him. He is the one who was raised from the dead and sits at the right hand of his Father, Almighty God. Jesus is the Living Word, the Son of God, one with the Father and I could fill this message with His names: Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God. But who is he to the world that he created? The world's people need true witnesses of who he is.

I was dressed in ragged clothing busy painting the kitchen cabinets when I heard the door bell ring. I went to the door and there was a man dressed to perfection in a fine suit of clothing. He had a colorfully printed piece of paper with something on it about Jesus and Easter. He was a Jehovah's Witness. I did not want his nice looking paper nor his message, because they do not teach the Jesus of the Bible, in truth. I said to him "Jesus is Lord, He died on the cross for our sins and is risen to the right hand of the Father. Salvation is not by works, but by faith in Jesus." He commented "but in James it says that Rahab was saved by works."

Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

I replied, "but faith comes before works." I was nothing but a ragman, but I spoke the truth to him, in a friendly manner. He left saying "good day to you". Here he was a faithful witness, but not with a saving message of faith in Jesus. Where are the true witnesses with as much commitment? Who will share that through Jesus we live forever as the adopted children of God? How will the world know the true Jesus if we do not share his message in a friendly way?

 

 

Let Children praise Him

Mat 21:14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. 

Mat 21:15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,
Mat 21:16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

The chief priests and scribes saw the miracles that Jesus did with envy and unbelief. They heard the children crying out, Hosanna (praise) to the Son of David and they were angry with them, wanting to shut them up. Jesus pointed out that they were more scripturally correct than they were.

Psa 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

The enemies were the highest rulers in the temple. May we never be in the way of truth and the freedom of others to worship. The children of the devil will try to prevent the children of God from worshiping the true God, we ought to obey God first and always. We are required to give God glory from holy hearts.

Psa 29:1 A Psalm of David. Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
Psa 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Jesus loves the little children, for as such are the kingdom of God; they are trusting and dependent on the LORD. Is anything so lovely as a child singing "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so?" I was told a personal testimony of a child who was badly abused in an evil home who was wandering in a wilderness place and came upon a stranger. The stranger taught her to sing Jesus loves me. Years later when she was led to the Lord through our Internet ministry, she cried tears of joy receiving this Jesus that she knew only in a simple song. Jesus loves the little children and they should not be prevented from coming to him.

Luk 18:15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
Luk 18:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Luk 18:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

Give Jesus the glory

Luk 19:37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
Luk 19:38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
Luk 19:39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
Luk 19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

The enemies of God will try to silence our praise and worship. Bring the children to church and Sunday/Sabbath school. Let them learn to praise his name. We are not to prevent them; the government is not to prevent us from our freedom to worship our God, so be bold in your worship and praise.